Rich Dad's Guide to Investing (Rich Dad's (Audio))

The overall message of Rich Dad's Guide to Investing is that this is an abundant world, full of opportunity for the sophisticated investor. However, it sometimes takes a while to find this point. Much of the book is told in dialogues between young Kiyosaki and his rich dad, and these conversations can ramble. There are rewards for the careful reader--for example, in the middle of a section on the basic rules of investing, Kiyosaki's rich dad compares investor education to toilet training: difficult at first but eventually automatic. But getting to these inspired metaphors means wading through a lot of repetitive dialogue. It's a bit ironic that someone who advocates investor discipline should show so little as a writer. But by the end of the book, even the rambling starts to make sense. By the hundredth time you read that the rich don't work for money and that you don't need money to make money, both concepts start to make sense. It still looks difficult to apply these ideas, but Rich Dad's Guide to Investing certainly makes the case that they'll work for anyone bold and smart enough to practice them. --Lou Schuler, Amazon.com

As in Rich Dad, Poor Dad, this book has the delightful story line of advice from the father of a friend who became a very wealthy man before his death -- leaving his family well set financially for 100 years! I think it's that base in reality that makes these books so interesting.

One of the best ways to learn is to have a successful mentor who will guide us through the key challenges of getting started. This book is designed to duplicate the experiences that the author had his his rich Dad. For example, the key questions that rich Dad asked him are at the end of each section for you to answer for yourself. I found my answers to be revealing, even though I have been through a lot of similar sets of questions. Well done!

The story line picks up after the author is coming out of the Marines in his twenties to find his boyhood friend already wealthy from his own efforts.

The financial advice parts of the book are tied into helping you pick up a meaningful financial plan. You begin by deciding what you want money to do for you. That's an excellent thing to do. Some want security. Some want more income. Others want substantial wealth that keeps growing. You should decide. Some books make the mistake of pushing you to choose a goal that really isn't what you want. Rather than push you in a particular direction, the book emphasizes key principles (compound cash tax-free, create assets with your mind as well as with your money). The author notes that each of us has preferences that will take us in different directions for implementing whatever our goals are. I liked that approach a lot.

You will recognize a lot of the diagrams from Rich Dad, Poor Dad. But it is good advice, so it doesn't hurt to have the repetition. This part is fairly compact, so you can skim through it if you feel confident about the material.

This book would be outstanding as a gift for someone who is about to graduate from school and starting a first job, or for newly wedded people. It would be even more valuable if you would be a mentor for the person you give it to, like one of your children or grandchildren.

If you get to be good at this now, think how great it would be to be the rich Dad for your children and their friends. Now that's an irresistibly great goal!

Enjoy the riches you would like to have, for the reasons you would like to have them!

Remember, the sooner you finish these tasks, the sooner you can turn your attention to the other aspects of your life you want to improve. May your life be filled with much health, happiness, peace . . . and prosperity.


The worst of the four books   December 25, 2001
28 out of 30 found this review helpful

Read the Rich Dad Poor Dad one, the Cashflow Quadrant one and the Rich Kid Smart Kid one (if you have kids or are interested in the Education system). All of these are excellent.

This one is very hard going, but has some useful stuff at the end. Borry a friends copy and read the last few chapters.


This book is an investment in itself.   June 6, 2001
37 out of 38 found this review helpful

Kiyosaki is no writer. His style is repetitive, simple and to the point. Which is why i recommend this book. For the creation of wealth often requires exactly this kind of approach. If spiritually enlightening messages are what you're seeking, try Dostoyevskiy's Karamazov Brothers. If you're interested in becoming wealthy - not secure, or financially independent, but RICH (he has a chapter on becoming a billionaire) - then Rich Dad's Guide To Investing makes for a thoroughly refreshing read.

The author uses a wide selection of diagrams and stories to highlght his points, which I found useful in most cases. He also offers some simple yet invaluable guidelines on building a business and becoming an investor in the true sense of the word.

However, the one thing missing is a 'reality check', since Kiyosaki, in my view, should have devoted more time on encouraging people to develop specific core competencies, strengths that individuals can "bring to the table", rather than solely emphasising the importance of finanical literacy (hence 4 stars).


The conclusion of an amazing three part series   February 8, 2001
Liam Palmer
33 out of 36 found this review helpful

This book is the end of the Rich Dad series and it would be a big mistake to try to read it without having first read Rich Dad Poor Dada and Cashflow Quadrant - you just wouldn't understand the big picture. This one gets into the fine detail a bit but has some great methods for thinking about businesses and investing and I learnt a lot from it (and I've got an MBA!). Probably of most use for those who have spent a few years working through the first two books but well worth a read (and constant re-read)!